Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-08-09

lnClQenuS are all uSelul Ill UnelE way, ana
after having the skin taken off your legs you
soon learn to cling tightly to the pedals SO
that stones, rough roads and crossings will
not shake yon. On we sped down St. Mar
tins lane, across Trafalgar square, on to the
Thames embankment, around the houses of
parliament, past Westminster abbey. and
then the embankment again. Nor did we
pull up until Cheney Walk, Chelsea, was
reached, when. heated and thirsty, looked in
vain for the old "Magpie and Stump" only
to learn that this ancient and historic tavern
had recently been burned down. This was
my first tricycle. ride. Aside from the double
patent skinning process when the pedals
broke loose, l remember little except that
several impertinent street Arabs called out:
How are you, Buffalo Blls" abiding, no
doubt, to the SLOUGH hat and the ease with
which sat upon the saddle.
One little girl exclaimed, "Hullo Jumbol'
and a few bystanlers remarked:
ooh, say, that's rum go. Why, if there
bain't two on 'em."
We were too busy dcdging cabs and omni-
buses, and getting from under the wheels of
drays and heels of shire horses, to heed trifles
Of this sort.
A pint Of cool beer in silver tankard at
Chelsea refreshed us, and leaving the banks
OF the Thames we turned up by the old
church at Chelsea and made for the Fulham
road, which brought us down to the river by
Putney bridge. Dashing over the bridge
without disnoun.ing we were in a short
time crossing Putney Heath. The great city
of London was now left behind, and a slight
up hill grade called to mind the fact that the
open country had been reached. Presently
the ancient town of Kingston broke upon the
landscape. In olden times they used to
crown the Saxon kings here, on stone block
which is still exhibited. 1t seemed to me
like one of the busy residence places included
in greater London. The streets We're filed
with carriages and wagons, as it was market
day. We lodged through tie principal street
of Kingston, acrossthe market place, and turn
ing almost due west were soon on the Guilfoid
road.
We did not set out to do hundred and
twenty miles the first day. For my own part
was charmed to feel that l was really out
IF London, and the height of my ambition
or that day was Guilford, Surrey, about
thirty miles from the starting point Arriv-
ing at the picturesque villuge of Esher, about
midway between London and Guilford, we
put up at the "Bear" and determined to rest
Tor an hour and take lunch. There are the
remains Of an old palace here which Cardinal
Wolsey once occupied when the great sea,
was taken from him. We had not got far
enough from London to exchange the claw
hammer coated waiter for the rosy faced
rural waitress. The chief possession of the
"Bear" was a smiling bar maid and stiff
and ancient waiter. The latter was one of
those unfortunate persons who dye their
whiskers, which were suspicious purple
with white roots.
"Have you a good looking cook who would
dry this neckerchief for meF / said to the
relic in black
Cor yer, sir" replied the waiter in an icy tone.
afterward learned he was counting the cook,
and hence the snub.
Leaving the "Bear" at Esher, we took to
the Portsmouth road, and soon reached the
long struggling village of Ripley, the inhab-
itants of which are noted in the annals of
cricketing. From Ripley the road was fairly
good into Guilford, and at o'clock in the
afternoon of the first day out we cautiously
crept down the steep high street and into the
"Angel" yard at Guilford. As we had stayed
on the road at least two hours, the run had
been made in four hours, or seven and q half
miles an hour. OF course | was very stiff. l
may be pardoned for speaking Of my own
feelings, because this was the first expert
ence. One of the objects of this series of
letters is to establish the fact that Americans
who have never ridden tricycles before, and
who know nothing of English roads, can Sc
lect a road at random and extract good deal
of endowment and exercise at the same time.
The illustrations accompanying these let
tiers are sketches made by Hal Hurst from
instantaneous photographs taken by Mr.. Viii
son. ROBERT p. PORTER.